As ultraportable devices of various stripes proliferate, there's a corresponding need for extra-slim storage drives that still deliver in terms of performance and storage capacity. Western Digital has a pair of new products to address those needs with the WD Blue HDD and WD Black SSHD drives.

Both of the 2.5-inch drives are just 5mm thick to give OEMs a solution that occupies as small a space as possible, leaving room for extra schock absorption and overall thinner computer chassis. WD says that thinner devices mean that the drives are more susceptible to damage, so they included "best-in-class" technology to reduce shock and noise, as well as StableTrac and dual-stage atcuators. The drives connect via the small form factor SFF-8784 edge connector.

The WD Blue and WD Black drives come in capacities of 500GB; the WD Blue HDD is available via select distributors (as well as in systems built by OEMs) and will cost $89 and offer a 2-year limited warranty, while the WD Black SSHD is shipping to OEMs and integrators and features SATA I/O and WD's proprietary hybrid technology.